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Manassas Park schools present FY27 $63M budget as enrollment falls; board seeks to balance services and revenue
Summary
School leaders presented a FY27 budget just under $63 million, citing a 237-student projected enrollment decline and roughly $3 million in combined shortfalls (current-year enrollment loss and lower state revenue); the budget preserves a $60,000 starting teacher salary and proposes modest pay increases while using reserves and staffing adjustments to avoid layoffs.
Manassas Park City Schools presented their board-approved FY27 budget to the Manassas Park City Council on April 7, outlining a proposal just under $63 million that school officials said is aligned with the division's strategic plan and a new fourth pillar focused on operational services.
Superintendent Dr. Saunders told the council the division is facing a multi-year enrollment decline (a projected drop of about 237 students across FY25–27) that contributed to an approximately $1.8 million shortfall this year. State revenue projections for FY27 are roughly $1.2 million less than FY26, creating an aggregate pressure of about $3 million, the presentation said. To respond, the division said it has consumed vacancies and adjusted staffing where possible and expects to avoid reductions in force for the current year.
Key elements of the FY27 proposal include a starting teacher salary of just over $60,000, an average pay increase for instructional and classified staff of about 5.5% (structured as a 2% step and 3.5% COLA), and smaller increases for managerial staff. The budget maintains certain class-size targets (K–3 at 22:1) while allowing modest increases at other grade bands (elementary and secondary averages rising slightly). The school budget also preserves free breakfast and lunch for all students and continues investments in mental-health coordination and multi-tiered student supports.
School finance staff reported that roughly 67% of the division's revenue comes from the Commonwealth of Virginia; the proposed general-operating fund expenditures are reported at about $56.88 million against revenues of roughly $55.9 million. The school board approved a request to use about $900,000 from an existing school reserve line item in FY27 to achieve a balanced budget, and staff said they will continue to refine five-year forecasts.
Council members asked detailed questions about teacher turnover, bus fleet replacement schedules, the timing and financing of a proposed career-and-technical-education (CTE) facility (a previously discussed $35 million CTE pathway that could be accelerated), and at what point service levels would have to change if enrollment declines continue. Dr. Saunders and division staff said they would continue to preserve required SOQ positions, use attrition strategically, and return with additional detail as needed.
The council did not take a vote on the school budget on April 7. School staff provided slide decks and a public-facing KPI dashboard that the division said is available on its website for residents and council members to track performance measures and budget Q&A responses.
